Railroad-switch-operating device



1,620,326 J. CZERNIAK ET m. RAILROAD S WITCH OPERATING DEVICE March 8,1927.

Filed Nov. 12, 1926 Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

JOZEPH CZERNIAK AND CASIMIB CZERNIAK, OF SOUTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-SWI'I(III-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application filed November 12, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in railroad switches,particularly to a switch operating device, and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a means adapted to be automaticallyoperated by an approaching train for setting the switch correctly.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a railroad switchoperating device of this type with a means for automatically returningthe switch into its normal position after each operation after a trainhas passed the switch.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a railroad switchoperating device of this character which is adapted to be operated inboth directions of travel, and which is simple and inexpensive toinstall, yet durable and efiiciently operating.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will become morefully known as the description thereof proceeds, and will then bespecifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a switch equipped with an operating deviceconstructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, seen in the direction of the arrows 2-,-2of Figure 1.

As illustrated, the track rails 10 and 11 at a switch point haveassociated therewith or co-operating with them a pair of switch tongues12 and 13 or rail ends adapted to engage in the well known manner withthe main track rails 10 and 11'to allow the switching of a train or carsfrom the main track upon a siding or other track. Near their front endsthe switch tongues 12 and 13 are connected by means of the customarydraw rod 14 equipped near one of its ends with an upright pin 15 adaptedto be displaced or to play within a slot 16 in the reinforced rear end17 of a rock-lever 18 or the like which is fulcrumed between its ends,as at 19, to a pin sunk into a baseplate 20 or the like.

Near the outer ends of the base plate 20, the same carries pairwisearranged posts 21, 21 and 22, 22' respectively, the posts 21 and 22 ofwhich are arranged on one side of the rail 11, while the posts 21 and 22are on the opposite side of the rail.

The posts are equipped with upper bearings 23 in which are slidablyengaged and guided the arms 24, .25 also pairwise ar- Serial No.147,970.

ranged at both sides of a rail, and the arms 25 of each pair are longerthan the arms 24 of the other pair, and the longer and shorter arms ofeach pair are interconnected as shown at 26, 27 and 28 respectively inFigure 1. The outer ends of the shorter and longer arms are projectingbeyond the posts 21, 21 and 22, 22 respectively and are formed toconstitute abutments 29, and shoulders 30. The inner faces of theabutments 29 engage disks or plates 31 at the ends of pins 32 passingthrough the posts 21, 21, 22 and 22, while springs 33 are wound aboutthe pins 32 and have the tendency to normally press the plates outwardlyagainst the abutment-s 29.

On the outer side faces of the rail webs bell-crank levers 34 arefulcrumed as at so as to normally project into the path of shoes 36 on alocomotive or train car having abevelled front edge 37 adapted to engagethe bevelled ends 38 of the upper bell-crank lever arms 39 and todepress the same.

The device operates as follows:

Assuming a train is approaching the switch from the left its shoe 36will engage with its bevelled face 37 the bevel face 38 of thebell-crank lever arms 39, and depress the same, so that its other arm 34will engage the shoulder .30 of the arms 25 to engage their front endwith the rock-lever 18 to turn the same about its fulcrum to throw theswitch into the position shown in Figure 1 in which the train will betransferred to the side track. It will be understood, that the shoes 36extend the entire length of a train or car.

If now the train has passed the switch, and the trip levers or bevelledarms thereof, the springs 33 will come to action, and release thefingers 25 from their engagement with the rock-lever 18, which will bereturned by means of springs into its normal position, thus drawing rod14 to open the switch, so that a train following, and intended to usethe main track only can do so when its shoe or shoes 36 have beenelevated into their inoperative position.

A train which is to be transferred from the siding-onto the main trackwill operate by means of its Shoes 36 the trip or bell-crank lever arm39, and depress the same so that its arm 34 will engage rod 25 with therocklever 18 to operate rod 14 to throw the switch tongues 12 and 13into engagement with the main rails, whereafter, as the train leaves theswitch, the parts are returned as described above into the switchopening position.

It will be clear that while we have described the preferred constructionof our bevelled edges fulcrumed to the side of a rail, normallyprojecting into the path of operating shoes on a train having bevellededges to engage the bevel edges of said bellcrank levers to depress theupper arms, a rock-lever, a draw rod connected to said rock-lever tooperate the switch points, means operated by the other arms oi said bellcrank-levers to operate said rock-lever to throw the switch allowing atransfer of the train to a siding, and a means for returning the switchinto its normally open position after each operation.

2. In a railroad switch operating device an operating rod for the switchpoints, an upright pin near one end thereof, a longitudinally slot-tedplate in the slot of which said pin is adapted to be displaced, arocklever to the rear end of which said slotted plate is secured, meansfor operating said rock-lever by a moving train to throw the switch fortransferring a train to a siding, and a means for returning the switchinto its normally open position after each operation after the train hasleft the switch.

3. In a railroad switch operating device, a means for throwing theswitch points to sidetrack a train, a means operated by the train toautomatically operate said switch throwing means, a plurality ofspring-controlled bars having outer abutment plates adapted to guide thetrain operated means after each operation and the passage of a traininto their normal switch opening position.

4. A railroad switch operating device comprising a pair of connectedlong and shorter levers, posts equipped with bearings in which the outerends of said levers glide, abutments formed at the outer ends oi saidlevers beyond said posts, bell-crank levers tulcrumed to the sides ofthe track, adapted to be depressed at one arm by a passing train andengage with its other arm the abutments of said levers, a. rock leveradapted to be operated by the longer arms of said connected levers tothrow the switch points, springs for returning the switch operatingrock-lever into normal position after each operation after the passageor a train, and spring-controlled rods having outer abutments adapted toengage the outer angularly bent ends of said connected levers as soon asthe train shoes have ceased to engage said bell-crank levers to returnthe parts into their normal positions with the switch open to allow themain track to be used by a following train.

Signed at South Chicago in the county of Cook and State of Illinois this23rd day of October, A. D. 1926.

J OZEPI-I CZERNIAK. CASIMIR CZERN IAK.

